Requiem for a Wolf-Friend
by Iria
Summary: This is an ElfQuest fanfic I did for Rushwater Holt, the online EQ holt I'm in. Young Raineyes spends many of her days wishing for when a wolf-friend will become her bond animal.


"Hold still, Snapbone, and let me finish removing these prickleplants from your fur!"

The large wolf tilted his head to look at Summerset as she carefully pulled each burr out of his fur and dropped them onto a pile. The wolf's face had a look that said "It isn't my fault I'm covered with prickles!" but this just brought laughter from the strawberry-haired elf.

"You were careless again, Snapbone," she said, shaking her head. "It's a wonder you're not stuck in that bush." Summerset pulled the last burr out of his fur and dropped it with a satisfying sigh

Snapbone turned to look more closely at his elf, then gently licked her hand in appreciation. Summerset smiled and scratched her wolf-friend behind his ears. Snapbone was a mean wolf - he seemed to constantly be snarling, getting into trouble with the rest of the pack, and even snapping at Summerset's tribemates. But to Summerset, he was as gentle as a newborn pup, keeping her protected from what he felt was harmful, and always allowing the wolfrider to give him a good, long scratch.

"You know, you're nothing like my first wolf," Summerset said softly, giving him a final scratch. Snapbone settled down at her feet and let out a soft bark into the night sky, almost asking his elf-friend to tell him a story. Summerset laughed and patted Snapbone gently on the head. "All right."

Closing her eyes, the time of Summerset's youth came back to her. At first, it seemed hazy, lost in the 'Now' of wolf thought - then clear, as clear as the night sky, as clear as if she were a cub again..

*

Raineyes chased after her father's wolfriend, her strawberry hair and laughter trailing behind her. Taking one last spring, she leaped onto Suneyes's back and let out a high-pitched squee of glee as the wolf took off running.

"Ayooooooah, Father!" she howled, catching eyes with Woodsmoke, sitting on the ground and working on his new project. Suneyes skidded to a stop beside her elf-friend, who stood up and sat behind Raineyes.

"Giving Suneyes here a hard time, pretty cub?" Woodsmoke laughed, giving his wolf a reassuring pat on her side.

"Aw.. I was just playing with her!" the cubling protested as her father lowered her to the ground. "Until I get a wolf friend of my own, I have to play with someone's!"

Woodsmoke looked at his cubling with gentle eyes. At just eleven turns of the season, Raineyes already had a stubborn streak in her - one that remined Woodsmoke of his own father, Hailcloud. Ever since she could ride Suneyes on her own - and did so as often as the she-wolf would let her, Raineyes had longed for a wolf friend of her own. Woodsmoke knew this, and often saw Raineyes gazing out at the young wolf cubs tumbling over one another, biting each others' ears.. Raineyes would stare at them for hours, until either he, or one of the other cubs, would pull her away to do something else. And the second she could sneak away, she was right back to watching the wolf pups.

"Your time will come, Raineyes," he said, kneeling beside his daughter. "Wolf bonding is The Way. And you're a part of that way."

Raineyes watched her father, letting the words settle into her, then suddenly stood up and skipped away, calling "Well I want one _now_!" behind her in her loud voice. Woodsmoke sighed softly, running a hand through his gray hair as he watched his stubborn cub run off in the distance. He knew her day would come; he just hoped she'd have the patience to wait for it.

*

"I hear you, cubs.." Raineyes looked out to the wolf cubs as they tumbled around each other, barking and sometimes giving a weak howl. Sunrise had taken to the sky, and soon Raineyes would turn to the furs, but not before she could glance out at the pups one last time.

"..Oh!" Suddenly the elf cub jumped to her feet. Much like the elves, the wolves were beginning to settle down, ready to sleep through the daytime sun. One cub, however, remained seated, twisting his leg and whining for the others to wait for him. "He must be stuck.."

Without thinking, Raineyes hopped from the tree she was in and ran towards the wolf cub. He stopped struggling long enough to watch her with his huge blue eyes, his shiny, pale brown fur shimmering in the colors of the sunrise. The elf stared at him, her eyes for which she was named for dancing with absolute delight. He was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

But why couldn't he move..? Was he trapped? No.. Raineyes gently reached a four-fingered hand to the wolf cub. Hurt. His back paw was twisted in a strange fashion.. 

Raineyes lifted the cub slowly, holding him gently in her arms. "I hope its not broken.." she said softly, giving him a scratch behind the ears. "I'll take you back to the holt.. maybe Father will know what to do!" 

Running quickly, but not in her usual crazy manner, Raineyes dashed into the holt, the pup barking with her every step. As she reached the base of the tree she shared with her father, she wondered for a moment how she would be able to climb the tree and hold her new friend at the same time. She looked at the wolf cub for a moment, then desperately sent to her father.

_**Father! Father come quick! I--**_ Raineyes's sends were interrupted by a strange feeling from inside.. then suddenly, forgetting the wolf friend in her arms was injured, she held it up with a delightful giggle.

"I knew it!" she cried, laughing as she nuzzled the wolf's soft fur. "You're my first wolf friend!" She looked him over once more, giving special note to his tan fur, his blue eyes.. and most of all, the strange, white spot right in the center of his forehead.

"One Spot! That's your name! The most beautiful wolf in the pack! And soon you'll be big and strong and we'll hunt and howl together-"

Raineyes stopped short as she saw her father peering out of their den, smiling at her. Raineyes grinned proudly as Woodsmoke came down to join her, but before she explained his wound, gave her new friend one more gentle squeeze.

"We'll be big and strong and you'll be my wolf friend forever," she said softly to the pup, unaware that her father had heard her words. He smiled gently, recalling words he, and many other elves, had spoken before his little cubling.. but soon forgot them as she told Woodsmoke of the pain her bond was in..

*

_"You'll be my wolf friend forever."_ Forever had come and gone. Wasn't it One Spot's death that had sent the young Raineyes on her crazy soul name search? Summerset could barely remember now, it had been so long ago..

Snapbone tugged at Summerset's arm, and Summerset laughed, snapped back to reality as she once again scratched her wolf friend behind the ears. "Oh Snapbone," she said with laughter. "You know you're my favorite." This seemed to satisfy him, and he rested his head in Summerset's lap, preparing to take a light snooze, but refusing to let the elf wander without him.

_Sometimes the Way seems so harsh,_ she thought, looking at her sleeping wolf. _One day it will be his time.. But it will be for a reason._


End file.
